Combination flashlight and traffic signal



July 11, 1950 -r. e. WHITFORD COMBINATION FLASHLIGHT AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed May 1, 1947 I game/rm THOMAS G. WHITFORD Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE Thomas G. wnitiera, Elmira, N. Y. 7 Application May 1, 1947, Serial No. 745,306

My" invention relates more particularly to a device adapted to be at.- tached to a flashlight and suitable for use by a traflic policeman in directing vehicular or pedestrian traflic.

One object of my invention is to provide a signal device or baton of simple and inexpensive construction and adapted to be readily attached to an ordinary flashlight.

Another object is to provide a device which clearly indicates either a stop or go signal and in which there is no possibility of confusion between these signals.

A further object is to provide a device for emergency use as a traific signal by which traffic can be directed in a desired direction.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description, read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device, partly in section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. Z'Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end view of the device showing the relative positions of the parts, but with the flashlight removed for clarity of illustration.

The device comprises a case, preferably of opaque plastic material, which may be generally rectangular in shape and is formed by two members I and 2. Casing members I and 2 may be formed from any suitable sheet material, but I prefer to make them of a black plastic. They are shaped as longitudinal halves of a, boxlike structure, forming a comparatively long, thin box. Members I and 2 are secured together at one end by a hinge 3, and at their other end the box they form opens into a throat or neck 4, having at its end semiannular or semicylindrical flanges or ring segments 5 and 6. Segment 5 is the extreme end of member I and segment 6 is the extreme end of member 2. Throat or neck 4 is enlarged, as shown, to receive the head of a flashlight l of usual construction, having a switch 8, the flashlight being broken away in the drawing.

Segments 5 and 6 are slightly less than half circles in cross section, leaving slits 9 between them to allow for tightening of the segments about the body of flashlight I as a split collar. slits 9 also extend partly into throat 4, as shown in Figure 2, in order to afford resilience to the split collar formed by segments 5 and 6.

The fastening means includes a strap or band IU of semicircular cross section which is secured at its center to the center of segment 5 by a rivet 4 Claims. (01. 177- 29) to a signaling device and I ll. Another semicircular strap or band. I2 is secured at its center to the center of segment 6 by a rivet l3. .Near one end of strap I2 a-studor pin [4 is secured thereto, as by welding, and over this pin fits one end'of strap l0, which is bent up slightly and has an eye l5 through which the pin l4 passes.

. Near the other end of strap Ill a forked tongue or U-shaped lug Hi is attached, as by welding. The end of Strap l2 which is remote from pin I4 is slotted and the sides of the slot are formed into loops IT. A bolt I8 is hinged on a pin 19 held in loops I! and the boltextends upward in the slot between the loops. The upper end of bolt I8 is threaded and carries a thumb nut 20 for tightening of the device on the body of flashlight I.

The manner of-installation of my signaling device on a flashlight is apparent from the above description. Casing members I and 2 are swung v together on hinge 3 so that neck 4 encloses the head of the flashlight and segments 5 and 6 contact the case of the flashlight. The bent end of strap H1 is pressed downward until pin l4 on strap I2 is forced through eye l5. Bolt I8 is then pivoted upwardly until thumb nut 20 is above lug l6 and the bolt extends through the slot in the lug. The nut is then screwed down until it is tight. In doing so, it forces lug l 6 toward loops l1, oompressing straps ID- and I2 and through them segments 5 and 6 of the split collar. The collar is thus clamped tightly about the case of flashlight 'I.

Slots 2| are cut in casing member I and, as illustrated in Figure 1, these slots are preferably disposed so as to form an arrow. Some of these slots may be tapered, as illustrated, to accentuate the arrow shape. A sheet or pane of translucent material 22, green in color, is secured inside member l in any suitable manner. It may, for example, be fitted in the casing member I by wedging it into the cavity of the casing member, or it may be cemented or glued therein.

Casing member 2 may be provided with a rectangular opening- 23. A sheet or pane of translucent material 24, red in color, is secured in the interior cavity of easing member 2 in any suitable manner, as by wedge-fitting, cementing or gluing. Sheets 22 and 24 may be of Celluloid, plastic or other suitable material.

In use, after the signal device is clamped to a flashlight 1, as already described, switch 8 is turned on to energize the light bulb, thereby illuminating the interior cavity of the signal device. Since casing members i and 2 are opaque, the light escapes on one side of the device only through translucent sheet 22 of green material where a light signal is desired. There is no possibility of confusion between the stop and go lights because they are on opposite sides of the indicator and, moreover, are clearly outlined The provision of an arrow indicator enables a traffic policeman to direct trafiic as it is necessary or desirable. This signal device may be readily attached to a' standard'flashlight.

* I cl'aim; 'lz 'A hand signaling device for attachment to a"flashlight comprising an opaque casing of two members, a hinge joining the two members at one end and allowing the ends remote from the hinge to swing apart, a, wall portion in each memb eri'b'eing formed to allow light to pass therethrough, an arcuate neck on the end of each member remote from the hinge, said necks extending through slightly less than 180 to form aslot' itherebetween as the casing is closed, and adjustable means closing the end of the casing remoterrom the hinge, said slots allowing movement of the neck to fitsecurely on the-flashlight. 2. A hand signaling device for attachment to aflashlight comprising an opaque casing of two members, a hinge joining the two members and allowing the ends remote from thehinge to swing apart, a Wall portion in each member being translucent to allow light to pass therethrough for signaling, the end of each member remote from the hinge being arcuate, said arcuate ends com bining' to form a neck to encircle the flashlight about the light containing end thereof, a band encircling the neck, one end of said, band having a U-shaped lug attached thereto, a bolt pivotally attached to the other end of theband, and a nut onthebolt, for engagement with the lugto con- 4 strict the band about said neck and to close the casing and hold it on the flashlight.

3. A hand signaling device for attachment to a flashlight comprising an opaque casing of two members, a hinge joining the two members and allowing the ends remote from the hinge to swing apart, a wall portion in each member being translucent to allow light to pass therethrough for signaling, a neck on theend of the members remote from the hinge, said necks extending less than to form a slot between the members at the end remote from the hinges when the casing is closed, a'band secured at its center to the neck, one end of said band having a U-shaped lugattached thereto, a bolt pivotally attached to the other'end of the band, and a nut on the bolt for engagement with the lug to constrict the band about said neck to close the casing and hold it on the flashlight.

I 4. A hand signaling device for attachment to a: flashlight comprising an opaque casingoft wo members, a hinge at one end joining" the two members, a wall portion in each'memberbe'ing translucent to permit light to pass therethrough, one of said translucent portions forming a1stop signal and the other forming a directional signal, the ends of said members remote from the hinge combining to form a neck to encircle the light containing end of the flashlight, a band encircling the collarand attached at its center to said collar, said band having free ends, and a bolt drawing the ends of the band together for tightening the band about the collar to tighten the. collar on the flashlight.

THOMAS G. WHITFORD;

REFERENCES CITED I Thefollowing references are of record the file of this patent:

Larson Feb. 10, '1942 

